The new Central Community College Health and Science Education Center in Grand Island, NE is the latest addition to the college’s expanding campus. Providing traditional classrooms, lecture halls and laboratories, the 44,000 sq. ft. facility is also equipped with high-tech “distance learning” capabilities to allow interaction with instructors and students at other locations throughout the Central Community College system.
Approximately 12,500 sq. ft. of Dri-Design panels were used on the project in both exterior and interior applications. The .080” aluminum panels were finished in Crystal Ice.
The patented Dri-Design Wall Panel System is an affordable dry joint, pressure-equalized rainscreen system.
Wilkins Hinrichs Stober Architects, Kearney, NE, was the project’s designer. “The building is linked to other campus structures that utilize a material palette of traditional masonry and metal,” explained Rod Randolph, project architect. “We used those materials on the exterior as well as actually bringing them to the interior of the building. We also employed a significant wood canopy in the large gathering area to bring the space down to scale. The material mix on the interior delivers a high tech feel yet creates a comfortable, inviting environment.”
The architectural firm has considerable experience with Dri-Design. “We had used it before and we’ve used it since,” Randolph said. “It provides a great value.”
Installation of the Dri-Design panels was done by SGH, Inc., Omaha. “Not only did we have the Dri-Design, we also installed the sunshades and the curved ACM that integrated with the Dri-Design soffits and the vertical window mullions,” said Jeremy Zerzan, project manager. “There was a tremendous amount of joint layout on our end as well as Dri-Design’s to get the proper size panels to match all of the elements. It was one of the more challenging jobs we’ve done but it really turned out great.”
Dri-Design panels can be made from a variety of materials including painted aluminum, zinc, copper and stainless steel and are 100% recyclable. Panels are available in any Kynar color in both standard and custom sizes.